Personal Care System with Movable Cooling Surface

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a cooling device ( 10 ) for a personal care system ( 10, 12 ), said cooling device ( 10 ) comprising a cooling device housing ( 14 ) and heatconducting means ( 6, 18 ) for transferring cold from the interior of said cooling device housing ( 14 ) to skin ( 20 ) to be cooled, said heat-conducting means ( 16, 18 ) comprising a contact piece ( 18 ) for contacting said skin ( 20 ). Furthermore, the invention relates to a personal care system ( 10, 12 ), especially to a personal care system ( 10, 12 ) comprising a depilation device ( 12 ). To ensure a proper contact between the active surface ( 32 ) of the depilation device ( 12 ) and the skin ( 20 ) as well as between the contact piece ( 18 ) and the skin ( 20 ) even in cases where the appliance angle a is not optimal, in accordance with the invention at least a part of said contact piece ( 18 ) is movable with respect to said cooling device housing ( 14 ).

The present invention relates to a cooling device for a personal care system, said cooling device comprising a cooling device housing and heat-conducting means for transferring cold from the interior of said cooling device housing to skin to be cooled, said heat-conducting means comprising a contact piece for contacting said skin.

The present invention also relates to a personal care system comprising an active device having an active surface intended for treating skin and a cooling device having heat-conducting means for transferring cold to said skin, said heat-conducting means comprising a contact piece for contacting said skin.

A cooling device as well as a personal care system of the type mentioned above are known from WO 03/065948 A1 and shown in FIGS. 1 a to 1 c, wherein the active device is a depilation device. The personal care system 10′, 12′ of FIGS. 1 a to 1 c comprises a cooling device 10′ and an active device 12′ which is a depilation device having a rotating depilation cylinder 36′. The cooling device 10′ comprises a cooling device housing 12′ and is provided to cool the skin 20′ during treatment to reduce pain. According to the solution known from WO 03/065948 A1 and shown in FIGS. 1 a to 1 c, the cooling device 10′ comprises a contact piece 18′ for transferring cold stored within the cooling device housing 14′ to skin 20′ to be treated. The contact piece 18′ is fixed rigidly with respect to the cooling device housing 14′ and thereby also with respect to the active surface 32′ of the depilation device 12′ which is coupled to the cooling device 10′. If the appliance angle α′ is chosen correctly, as shown in FIG. 1 a, the known personal care system 10, 12 works perfectly. However, if the appliance angle α′ is not chosen correctly, as shown in FIGS. 1 b and 1 c, the good contact between the contact piece 18′ and the skin 20′ may be lost, as shown in FIG. 1 b, or the good contact between the active surface 32′ of the depilation device 12′ and the skin 20′ may be lost, as shown in FIG. 1 c.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cooling device and a personal care system of the kinds mentioned in the opening paragraphs in which the problems mentioned above are prevented.

In order to achieve this object a cooling device in accordance with the invention is characterized in that at least a part of said contact piece is movable with respect to said cooling device housing. By this solution a proper contact between the skin to be treated and both the active surface of an active device coupled to the cooling device and the contact piece of the cooling device is ensured.

With preferred embodiments of the cooling device in accordance with the invention, said contact piece is pivotable around a shaft extending essentially perpendicularly to a preferred movement direction of said cooling device. As a result, the proper contact mentioned above is ensured also in operating conditions in which the appliance angle is not chosen so as to be optimal.

Alternatively, or additionally, said contact piece may be spring loaded in a direction essentially perpendicular to said skin to be cooled. This also helps to ensure the proper contact mentioned above. It is emphasized that in accordance with the most preferred embodiments of the cooling device in accordance with the invention, the contact piece is both pivotable around a shaft extending essentially perpendicularly to a preferred movement direction of said cooling device and spring loaded in a direction essentially perpendicular to said skin to be cooled.

Preferably, said heat-conducting means comprise a portion extending into an area of said cooling device housing in which a cooling agent is provided. The cooling agent may for example be cooled down by placing the cooling device in a refrigerator, the heat-conducting means being suitable for transferring cold stored in that cooling agent to the skin to be treated.

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the cooling device of the invention, said cooling device housing comprises means for connecting said cooling device to an active device of said personal care system. These means may for example be realized by suitable snap-in connections or any other coupling means resulting in a preferably detachable connection between the cooling device and an active device.

The cooling device in accordance with the invention may be used advantageously with an active device that is a depilation device. However, the invention is not limited to such an active device and the cooling device in accordance with the invention may for example also be used in connection with massage devices or circulation-stimulating devices having needle-like or pin-like treatment members. In general, the cooling device in accordance with the invention may be used in combination with all treatment devices that cause less pain or simply a better feeling if the skin and/or the portions underlying the skin are cooled before, during, or after treatment.

In order to achieve the above mentioned object of the invention, a personal care system in accordance with the invention is characterized in that at least a part of said contact piece is movable with respect to said active surface. By this solution the characteristics and advantages of the cooling device in accordance with the invention are achieved in the same or in a similar manner. Therefore, to avoid repetition, at this point reference is made to the corresponding description in connection with the cooling device in accordance with the invention.

The same applies in principle to the following preferred embodiments and further developments of the personal care system in accordance with the invention, so that also in this connection reference is made to the corresponding parts of the above description.

Also with preferred embodiments of the personal care system in accordance with the invention said contact piece is pivotable around a shaft extending essentially perpendicularly to a preferred movement direction of said personal care system.

Alternatively, or additionally, said contact piece is spring loaded in a direction essentially perpendicular to said skin to be treated.

Also for the personal care system in accordance with the invention, it is preferred that said heat-conducting means comprise a portion extending into an area in which a cooling agent is provided.

In accordance with a further development, said active device comprises an active device housing and said cooling device comprises a cooling device housing, wherein said active device housing and said cooling device housing are separable.

Without being limited thereto, said active device may be a depilation device.

Embodiments of a cooling device and a personal care system in accordance with the invention and further aspects and advantages of the invention will be described in detail in the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 a shows a cooling device and a personal care system in accordance with the prior art with the appliance angle chosen correctly;

FIG. 1 b shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 1 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a first direction;

FIG. 1 c shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 1 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a second direction;

FIG. 2 a shows a first embodiment of a cooling device and a personal care system in accordance with the present invention with the appliance angle chosen correctly;

FIG. 2 b shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 2 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a first direction;

FIG. 2 c shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 2 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a second direction;

FIG. 3 a shows a second embodiment of a cooling device and a personal care system in accordance with the present invention with the appliance angle chosen correctly;

FIG. 3 b shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 3 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a first direction;

FIG. 3 c shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 3 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a second direction;

FIG. 4 a shows a third embodiment of a cooling device and a personal care system in accordance with the present invention with the appliance angle chosen correctly;

FIG. 4 b shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 4 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a first direction; and

FIG. 4 c shows the cooling device and the personal care system of FIG. 4 a with the appliance angle chosen not correctly in a second direction.

First, reference is made to the common features of the cooling devices and the personal care systems shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 c, 3 a-3 c and 4 a-4 c. The depicted cooling devices 10 are part of personal care systems 10, 12 which additionally comprise active devices 12. In the embodiments shown in the drawings these active devices 12 are depilation devices having rotating depilation cylinders 36 forming active surfaces 32 for treating skin 20. The housings of the depilation devices 12 and the housings 14 of the cooling devices 10 are detachably connected to each other by a snap-in connection 30. As a result, it is possible to detach the cooling devices 10 from the depilation devices 12 and to place the cooling devices 10 for example in a refrigerator or a deep freezer to cool down a cooling agent which is contained in the cooling device housings 14.

Prior to use of the personal care systems 10, 12, the respective cooling device 10 and the respective depilation device 12 are reconnected, and cold stored in the cooling agent may be used to cool the skin 20 during the depilation process. To transfer cold stored in the cooling agent to the skin 20, there are provided heat-conducting means 16, 18, of which a respective contact piece 18 is intended to get into contact with the skin 20. The contact pieces 18, the shaft 22 mentioned below, and the elements 16 extending into the cooling agent are made of a material that has good heat-conducting properties, like aluminum.

In operation, all embodiments of the personal care system 10, 12 are moved over the skin 20 in a preferred direction of movement 24 to carry out the depilation process. Simultaneously, the skin 20 is cooled by the respective contact piece 18. The appliance angle with respect to the normal of the skin 20 is illustrated as α, the optimal appliance angle corresponding to α=0°, as shown is FIGS. 2 a, 3 a, and 4 a.

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, and 2 c show a first embodiment of the cooling device 10 and the personal care system 10, 12 in accordance with the present invention. As already stated, in FIG. 2 a the appliance angle shown is chosen so as to be optimal with α=0°. However, in accordance with FIGS. 2 b and 2 c the appliance angle is not optimal, i.e. α< >0°. To ensure proper contact between the active surface 32 of the depilation device 12 and the skin 20 as well as between the contact piece 18 and the skin 20, even in cases where the appliance angle α is not optimal, the contact piece 18 in accordance with the first embodiment is pivotable around a shaft 22 extending essentially perpendicularly to the preferred direction of movement 24, i.e. parallel to the depilation cylinder 36. Between the contact piece 18 and the cooling device housing 14 there is provided a spring 26 which preloads the contact piece 18 such that it makes proper contact with the skin 20 even if the appliance angle α is chosen as shown in FIG. 2 b. In contrast thereto, the spring 26 is further preloaded if the appliance angle is chosen as shown in FIG. 2 c to ensure a proper contact between the contact piece 18 and the skin 20.

FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, and 3 c show a second embodiment of the cooling device 10 and the personal care system 10,12 in accordance with the present invention. Again, in FIG. 3 a the appliance angle shown is chosen so as to be optimal with α=0°, and in accordance with FIGS. 3 b and 3 c the appliance angle α is not optimal, i.e. α< >0°. To ensure a proper contact between the active surface 32 of the depilation device 12 and the skin 20 as well as between the contact piece 18 and the skin 20, even in cases where the appliance angle is not optimal, the contact piece 18 in accordance with the second embodiment is spring loaded and thus displaceable in a direction 28 essentially perpendicular to said skin 20 to be cooled, the spring (not shown in the drawings) being accommodated within the cooling device housing 14.

FIGS. 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c show a third embodiment of the cooling device 10 and the personal care system 10, 12 in accordance with the present invention. Also in this case the appliance angle shown in FIG. 4 a is chosen so as to be optimal with α=0°, and in accordance with FIGS. 4 b and 4 c the appliance angle α is not optimal, i.e. α< >0°. To ensure a proper contact between the active surface 32 of the depilation device 12 and the skin 20 as well as between the contact piece 18 and the skin 20, even in cases where the appliance angle is not optimal, the third embodiment provides a combination of the first and second embodiments, i.e. the contact piece is pivotable around the shaft 22 and is spring loaded and thus displaceable in the direction 28 essentially perpendicular to said skin 20 to be cooled. In contrast to the first embodiment there is provided no spring 26. However, there is provided a spring for spring loading the contact piece 18 in the direction 28, and again this spring is accommodated within the cooling device housing 14, but is not shown in the drawings.

Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims. 

1. A cooling device for a personal care system, said cooling device comprising a cooling device housing and heat-conducting means for transferring cold from the interior of said cooling device housing to skin to be cooled, said heat-conducting means comprising a contact piece for contacting said skin, characterized in that at least a part of said contact piece is movable with respect to said cooling device housing.
 2. A cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that said contact piece is pivotable around a shaft extending essentially perpendicularly to a preferred direction of movement of said cooling device.
 3. A cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that said contact piece is spring loaded in a direction essentially perpendicular to said skin to be cooled.
 4. A cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that said heat-conducting means comprise a portion extending into an area of said cooling device housing in which a cooling agent is provided.
 5. A cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that said cooling device housing comprises means for connecting said cooling device to an active device of said personal care system.
 6. A cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that said active device is a depilation device.
 7. A personal care system comprising an active device having an active surface intended for treating skin and a cooling device having heat-conducting means for transferring cold to said skin, said heat-conducting means comprising a contact piece for contacting said skin, characterized in that at least a part of said contact piece is movable with respect to said active surface.
 8. A personal care system according to claim 7, characterized in that said contact piece is pivotable around a shaft extending essentially perpendicularly to a preferred direction of movement of said personal care system.
 9. A personal care system according to claim 7, characterized in that said contact piece is spring loaded in a direction essentially perpendicular to said skin to be treated.
 10. A personal care system according to claim 7, characterized in that said heat-conducting means comprise a portion extending into an area in which a cooling agent is provided.
 11. A personal care system according to claim 7, characterized in that said active device comprises an active device housing and said cooling device comprises a cooling device housing, and said active device housing and said cooling device housing are separable.
 12. A personal care system according to claim 7, characterized in that said active device is a depilation device. 